In today's world, oil and PCB pollution is one of the greatest environmental concerns of mankind. There are few, if any, who have not heard about the gigantic oil spill caused by the EXXON Valdez running aground in Alaska. Although this was a gargantuan and well-known oil spill, there are lesser oil spills and contaminations which pollute waterways, land areas, city streets, and industrial and commercial facilities on a daily basis.
For example, utility companies maintain the underground transformers and electrical wires in big cities. During routine maintenance, a person wearing protective clothing goes underground and, when he comes out from the manhole opening, his clothes are contaminated with oil and PCB's. When it rains, the contaminated water runs down the street and eventually into water drains on the street. There is also a safety issue for a passing pedestrian having wet feet on the street as well as a slipping hazard for the maintenance person.
Sorbent products are very well known in the art. They come in many different shapes and sizes and have varying applications. There are generally two types of sorbent products, i.e. those that absorb and those that adsorb.
Referring first to the absorbent products, these are generally composed of natural fibers, notably cellulose fibers, cotton fibers, fabric waste, etc. The prime advantages of natural fiber products are low cost, good absorption and capacity, and biodegradability. These fibers will also absorb contaminated water as compared to synthetic fibers which normally repel water.
The adsorbent materials are generally used in two different forms. One form is an extruded nonwoven microfiber blanket. The blanket can be cut to various sizes and used "as is." The other form is loose fiber bundles. These loose fibers can be stuffed into mesh tubes, referred to in the industry as "socks," to form barrier booms. While adsorbent products are very good at separating oil from water, their prime disadvantage is high cost.